Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-03-26
smoking Among Ladies.

A recent incidental statement
made by an authority whose OPP.
portunity of observation leaves no
doubt as to its trulhfuness, dlsclo.
ses the fact that the practise OF
smoking among ladies is b ,coming
more and more general. Tne lady,
who is lady of the highest stand
ing in New York, says:
More American women smoke
cigarettes, and often cigars than
the world wots of. Only few
mornings agoI sat in the boudo'r
of the best known woman in New
York society, IL lady whose name is
synon, m for everything that is
womanly and refined to the outside
world, while she smoked cigarette
after cigarette with the utmost pla-
cidity. During the morning three
other ladies dropped in, and two
of them also produced dainty Gig
arctic cases, and smoked with Ell
tire composure, ejecting the curlS
OF smoke into rings above their
heads . gracefully and perfectly
as the most expert smoker among
men could do. | know myself OF
scores of our best New York, Bos
ton and Philadelphia ladies, all my
personal friends, who inlulge in
smoking, and whose names il given
to the public, would cause astonlsh-
ment.' 1t is not pleasant to con-
; template condition of affairs as
the above gives US excellent reason
IIerTcan women: Men smoke.
and why should not womenF m my
have asked. Simply because There
are thousand and one things
which, though proper i'll men, are
entirely unbecoming to women.-
The association OF tobacco with a
refined lady is disagreeable; it IS
not so with the most polished gen
tleman. 1t is argued by some that
in Spain, France and Turkey, and
other European coun tries, the wo-
men all smoke. and in public; yet
these same people making this as
sertion have never for themselves
seen the class OF women who are
addicted to this use of tobacco. In
like manner might We conduct a
foreigner to places in our great cit
les where women can be found cor.
tinually smoking, but could such a
visitor return to his native land and
declare in truthfuluess that the
American lady Smokes7 We are
aware that i'll France especially the
habit of smoking among women is
more general than in America, but
likewise are many other habits
which American mothers would not
care to associate with the lives OF
their daughters or their lady
friends. II the custom Of smoking
among American ladies is becom-
ing prevalent, il is one that cannot
be otherwise than deeply deplored.
No woman-and we weigh each
word Ill this statement-can he a
lady and be addicted to smoking.
The argument that men smoke Is
no plausible reason for women do
ing so, and no one possessed ofany
degree of common sense will adj
vance such a comparison. There
are scores and hundreds OF things
that can be properly associated
with the more commonplace nature
OF man, but when connected with
the delicate and refined nature of
woman they become widely dissim-
liar. Tobacco was intended Tor the
use of men, and while it would be
indefinitely better were it not used
at all, or used in much lesser guam;
titles than it is at present, the ci-
gar or cigarette is not unbecoming
to the most perfect gentleman.-
But when employed by ladies, it is
put to a use for which it was never
intended; and the cigar in the
mouth of woman, becomes her as
much as would d costly flag OF the
richest satin texture if placed Oh
the begrimed mast OF one of the
scows that rid our cities Of their
superhuous mud and filth.